Fret-lock system



Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

CHARLES I-I. SIEGMUND, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

FRET-Lomi SYSTEM.

Apbiieatio'n 'fuedseptember e, -1922.

To all 2li/0m t may concern Be it known vthat 1Crm1mns H. SIEG- MUNi), a citizen ofthe United -States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee andiState of 'lVisconsin have invented certain new 'and useful mprovements in Fret-Lock ltystfems; and I do hereby declare that the follo'wiiig'is'afull, clear, and exact description thereof. y

The invention is known as the C. H. S. fret-lock system `for guitars, banjos and kindred instruments. It comprises a plurality ofmov'able fretspivotally ymounted on the 'neck of the instrument adjacent the nut, in line with a fret or frets'an'd thumb operating means for 'inovingthe movable frets individually tofexert a 'slight lifting action o'irthe strings, coming to a perpendicular position. y p

It is an object ofthe inventionto enable the player to raise the pitch of the stringa semi-tone by each fret lock; to play in the upper positions and'stlill'have low base notes in the chord; to overcome the dii'liculty of playing the flat keys, the many'sharped 'keys and the 'diiiicult 'minor keys; lto be able to play the accompaniment of the heretofore considered most dihicult chords; to l'make `the left hand fingering easier by'ta'king away sinne of the work from the overcrowded four ingers'of the left hand rand transfer such technique to the Vidle lefty thumb; vto elii'i'iinate the troublesome capotasto which is as much'ofa hindrance as a help on fretted instruments; to enable the pla-yer to think in the 'saine key that he is playing in and not have the difhcultyoffancying a different key'as it happens with the capotasto; to facilitate execution and technique for small hands, such as of lchildrengto prevent the necessity of returning certain strings to another pitch; to make execution easier for certain instruments playing 'certain pieces; to remove the common awkward practice of trying to make 'stops with'the left thumb on the finger board; torenable the player to make'a change yof key or chordrapidly, and to enable the guitar, banjo andkindred instrumentfs to be more practicably used in orchestras.

ith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the ap- 'serii No. 586,428.

pendedclaims, it being understood thatsuch changes in the precise :embodiment yof the herein disclosed invention may be 4made-fas come `within the scope'of the claims.

In the accompanying' drawing, ris illustra-ted onecomplcteeXample of t ie phys-ical embodiment ofthe present invention -construct-ed according to the best iinode `so far devised for the practical -application of the principles thereof, and'in which:

Figurcl is aside elevation of abanj o with a preferred embodimentof the invention installed therein.

vFigure Q is a Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a section on the line of Figure 2.

`From neck 10 head 11'extendsjangularly and a yplurality of stringsland 18 are tensioned over a nut 111. A plurality of movable frets 15 are provided. These lare small flap like mechanisms which lie under the string and near the frets'lG, forming substantially parts of the frets. Each movable fret comprises a iiatportion which normally lies in a direction towards the nut ofthe in strument. The po-rtionof themovable fret opposite to this or that which is towards the bridge ofthe instrument is yformed into an enlargement 17, ywhich'is about -Vthree times as thick Vas the flat part and substantially cylindrical. This enlargement. l''h'asa longitudinal opening -thru "its" cent-er. The enlargement acts as a fret and r'replaces the original fret throughout asmall Vtransverse distance across the Y neck.

The finger board 18 is Acut away to fornra groove. for#accommodating Vthe enlargement 17, the enlargement the center-of the-enlargement passes a tight fitting pin 19 which is held in place by eyelets 20 20. n this -pin a movable fret swings from lying f position "on the rlinger boardfupward a distance of 90o. lnthe center ofthe fret` portion of the movable fret-is a notch 21 of `U shape, into which fallsthe string when the movable fret is erected. The Vmovable fret must be slightly higher (about the thickness of the string) than the distance between the string'and the finger board, and vvaries fork different Vfrets, being shorter for the iirst fret and longest for the fret farthest removed.

To the left of the middle and underneath the movable fret is a segmental gear. A cut-out 22 is made in the finger board to section on `the line 2-2 of fitting fsn'ugly. Thru receive this underpart of the movable `fret. The cut-out passes perpendicularly thru the neck in which the rack moves, coming up from underneath and engaging the segmental gear. An additional eyelet 20 is provided, as shown in Figure 2., and these eyelets may be increased in number, depending on the instrument played and the number of strings which it is desired to operate on. The pin 19 extends thru eyelets :20-20 and 20, the pin being in line with the fret 16 and retaining the movable frets 15 in place.

As described, the rack 21 extends upward from below the neck and engaging its teeth with those of the. half-pinion 22 of the movable fret. The lower end of this bar or rack has a push button 23 attached thereto, manipulated by the left thumb.

The neck 10 is cut away for the reception ot the racks and buttons, and provided with a metal lining Q4, retained in position by screws 25. Each lining comprises parallel portions 2G and 2T and parallel portions 28 and 29. Portions 28 and Q9 are disposed at right angles to portions 2G and 2T. Each rack 21 has an angularly deflected guide portion 30, adapted to be received in slots 31 in portions 28 and 29. Slots 32 are also provided in portions 26 and Q7 for guiding the major portion of racks 21. The d1- mensions of slots 32 are such that. lateral movement of racks 21 is prevented so that the racks are maintained atall times in proper' operative position. Slots 31 maintain the teeth of the racks 21 at all times in contact with the semi-pinion 22. The wooden neck 1() has as many right angle channels cut out therefrom as there are strings above, on which it is desirable to have the movable frets operate, thus there are 'tour channels in the guitar neck.

The buttons 23 may be radially reciprocated by the thumb and cause the corresponding movable frets to lift upward on the adjacent string. The movable fret at the first fret raises string 12 a half step, effecting a variation ,of a semi-tome. A movable fret at the second fret effects a change of another half step. A movable fret at. each succeeding fret effects aditi'erence of a half step from the movable fret of the preceding fret.

It will be apparent that the device operates to make the left hand fingering easier by taking some of the work from the overcrowded four fingers of the left hand and transferring such technique to the idle left thumb, which makes it possible to play in the upper positions, and still have a low bass note in the chord. It eliminates the use of the `troublesome capotasto and facilitates execution and technique for small hands, such as those of children; it removes the awkward practice of trying to make `stops with the left thumb on the finger' board.

I claim:

1. In a musical instrument, the combination of a neck, a string, a movable fret normally lying fiat on `the finger board, and manually operable mea-ns for rocking said movable fret in contact with said spring.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string, a neck, a movable .fret interposed between said string and said neck, and means reciprocable longitudinally of said neck for lifting said movable fret in contact with said string.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination of a neck, a string, a movable fret pivotally mounted on said neck beneath said string, and means reciprocable by the thumb for rocking said movable fret into contact with said string.

a. In a musical instrument, the combination of a neck, a string, a movable fret pivotally mounted on said neck beneath said string, and a button reciprocable by the thumb for lifting said movable fret to contact with said string.

5. In a. musical instrument, the combination of a neck, a string, a movable fret having a fiat portion and an enlarged portion normally acting as a fret, and means for rotating said movable fret to bring said fiat portion in contact with said string.

6. A movable fret for stringed musical instruments comprising a flat portion for contacting with a string, and an enlarged portion forming a fret.

7. A fret lock comprising a movable fret having a fiat portion and an enlarged portion integral therewith and normally serving as a fret, and having an opening therethru, and a pin extending thru said opening.

8. In a musical instrument, the comblnation of a neck, a string, a movable fret pivotally mounted upon said neck `below said string, a segmental gear rigid with said fret, a rack having teeth meshing with said segmental gear, and a thumb piece connect.- ed with said rack and project-ing below said neck, whereby when said thumb piece is operated said fret will be elevated into contact with said string.

In testimony that fclaim the foregoing I have hereunto set. my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

CHARLES H. SIEGMUND. 

